Printing-press



Bumv F. UPHAM, or Bosron, MAssAcHUsEr'rs' AssIGNoR ro-Um'rnn rnrimri'eV MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPOBATIONOF: MASSA- Application filed September 16, 1919. Serial No. 324,072.V

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known thatI, BUR'r-F. UrHAM, av citizen4 of the United States, residing at' Boston, in the 'countyof-Sufl'olk and State of- Massachusetts, V,have Vinvented Vcertain new and useful Improvementsin Printing- Press'es, and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact 'description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This'invention is an improvement in rotary sheet printing presses, and' its object is to produce a press wherein the quantity of product obtainable in a 'given time will be g'reatly increased as compared with'the ordinary type of printing presses Vof same size; the impressions will be accurately registered; and the sheets be carried to and through the successive printing couples and to the delivery points by traveling sheet gripping devces.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description of the machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which will enable others to understand and use the invention; and-the essential fea-v' tures' of the invention and novel combina-v tions and constructions of parts for which protection is desired are set forth in'the claims following -the description.

The accompanying drawing represents diagrammatically a longitudinal sectional elevation of one form of printing press embodyng the invention.

In said drawing the plate-cylinders 1 and 2 are adapted to carry printing surfaces of any suitable kind, andare supplied with ink from fountains F and F', respectively, in the usual manner. 1

An impression-eylinder 1a coperates with plate cylinder 1, and an impression-cylinder 2 coperates withplate-cylinder 2. The impresson-cylinders la, 2'1 are arranged clos'e together and substantially intermediate the plate-cylinders 1 and 2.

The plate-cylinder 2 has` a gap b; and the iinpression-cylinder 1a has a gap lb, for a purpose hereinafter shown.

In the present invention nstead of the impression-cylnders being provided' with grippers to handle the sheets,

specificaaon'oftetars Patent. V Pa'tented Aug- 3,

the sheets are f PRrNTING-rnnss.

carried through the successive printing-couples to'- the point of delivery by means' of traveling gripping devices, preferably mountedlupon 'an endlesscarrier 3,'- whichfl may b'e of any suitable construction.

As Vshown the carrier has endless sprocketv` chains-thatrun over sprockets on orattached to the 'ends of the 'cylinders.; and sald' carrier extends from the top of the plate-cylinder 2 down under and 'partly between the impression-cylinders 1a and a; partly around impression-cylinder f* and around` the impression-cylinder la; up and ets 4 mounted atl the rear of the press andabove the sheet delivery table; and thence forward from the sprockets 4 to the top of cylinder 2, thus making acompleteendless circult. o 1

The sheet gripping devices are attached to the carrier and may be composed, as shown, of transverse barsV 3, m ountedon and betweenthe carrier ohains, with which bars coact grippers 3 mounted on shafts also mountedon'the carrier chains;V and which grippers may be normally Closed-by suitable Springs, as usual (not shown) and can be openedand closed atv the desired points'by means of suitable gripper actua'tingV devices (not shown) such as are commonly emplloyed in printing presses, and all of whichwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The endless carrierf chains may be (lirected past i'dlerV sprockets 42*V located betweenlthe-Vplate-cylinder 2 and the impression-cylinder la, as indicated in the drawing.

The sheet gripping devices on the carrierv I are spacedfapart a distance slightly greater I than the length of the longest sheet that the press is rier is driven at such speed that the sheet grippers thereon will travel at a rate 'of speed synchronizing with the peripheral speed of the plate and impression cylinders.

The' gripping devices on the carrier are.

enabled to pass around the plate-cylinder` 2 and'imp'ression-cylinder 1a by reason-of the gaps 2b and-lb, with'which' the gripping dedesignedfto print; and the car-` vices successively register as they travel with= and around such cylinders and between the printing'l couples, as indicated in the drawing. The Sheets to be printed are fed vto the grippers 3 at any convenient point,` and presented thereby successively to the platecylinders of the printing couples. Preferably the Sheets are fed to the grippers 3a at the point T, adjacent the cylinderv 1, by

means of suitable feed mechanism adapted to alternately deliver Sheets S froma table 6, and Sheets S' from a table Ga, to the grippers on the endless carrier.

As shown a feed cylinder 5 is provided.

having grippers 5a adapted to take Sheets at lithe point T' from ,grippers 5 of a feed cylin- S' are alternately taken from the tables 6 Vder 5D, that alternately takes Sheets' from table 6 and from a transfer cylinder 5; which transfer cylinder is provided with grippers 5e to take Sheets from table 6a- Vand transfer them to cylinder 51) at the point T2.

The eylinder b thus, takes Sheets alternately from table 6 and from transfer cylinder 5d, so that ample time is givenv for positioning the Sheets S, S' on the tables 6, Ga against their respective sheet Stops Gb and (3. Twice as much time is allowed for positioning the Sheets on the respective feed tables as would be permitted if all Sheets were fed from one table. The VSheets may be fed up and Ga and delivered in alternation' to the successive grippers 3a on the endless carrier at the point T.

Each sheet taken by grippers 3fl' is carried from the point T first between the plate-cylinder -1 andU impression-cylinder lb, (the grippers 3 oceupying the gap 1h during the passage of the sheet partly around the cylinder la), and the sheet isV printed on one side from the printing surfaces on cylinder 1. The grippers 34 then carry the sheet to and partly around impression-cylinder 2a and between such cylinder and plate-cylinder 2, (during'which passage the grippers Sa occupy the gap 2D: in the cylinder 2), and the vSheet is perfected by the printing surface on plate-cylinder 2.

After being ,printed on the plate-eylinder 2 the sheet is carried rearward by the traveling grippersn to the point of delivery; I preferably employ an automatically lowering delivery table 8 which may be of any suitable kind, onto which the printed Sheets r are piled, and from which they can belowered onto a truck 8a in thev usualmanner.

It will be noticed that the delivery table yis outside of, and, -in the example shown, be-

low the lower run of the carrier 3. This is very advantageous f as it Apermits 4 lthe *sheet receiving tables to be readily. manipulated,

and Inoved into and out of position beneath 'the carrer without interfering with the operation of the carrier; and this construction provides ample room for the accommodation of the sheet receiving tables, and for the trucks carrying same which could not be practically used if the delivery table had to be located withinV the orbit of the-endless carrier.

'llhe grippers 3EL are caused to release the Sheet at the point D` above the delivery table, by means-of suitable grippr Operating devices, which being well known are not shown.

I preferably use an offset web O on impression-cylinder 2% The offset'y web is shown as passing from a roll 7 to and partly v around impresSion-cylinder 2? and between it and plate-cylinder la, down over al guide 7b adj acent cylinder la, and back to a roll 72h The offset web rolls 7, 7a may bemounted and operated in the usualmanner by the usual -means, So that the offset web O will travel in the direction of rotation of the impreSsion-cylinder 22 and efectively prevent'ofl'set froin the printed Sheets S, S' upon the cylinder Qfl, while Such Sheets are vreceiving a perfecting impression from the surfaces on plate-cylinder 2.

It will be seen that each sheet when taken by the grippers 3aN iS held and carried thereby through the successive printinghcouples'and to the point of delivery, and the sheet is at no time transferred'from one set of grippers to the other during orintermediate the printing operations, or at any point between the taking point-T and the delivery point D;

consequently absolute accuracy of registration can be obtained, and the speed of operation of the press can beV greatly enhanced without impairing the quality of the 'product. The output of a press of this type of a given size in a given time will be more than that of an ordinary press of Same size using grippers to transfer' Sheets from one impression cylinder to another, and to the' delivery.V

It is obvious that by transposing the positions'of the plate and impression cylinders in either couple the press could be readily adapted to print in multi-color on one side`v of the Sheet. It is also `obvious that the' number of printing couples could be increased if desired; i

Having described my invention what I claimisn, i f

1. In a printing press, the combination of two printing couples each comprising a ,plate and impression cylinder, the plateV cylinder of one couple being 4gapped and the impression cylinderioftheother couple being-i gapped3'a' delivery table; aV guide above the delivery*table;v an fendless carrier extending from gulde to and successively between the printing couples to and over the table;

sheet grippers on the carrier adapted to-be traversed thereby between the printing cou- V tive couples; a pair of feed tables, a gripper rier `extending feed cylinder adapted to deliver sheets to the grippers on the carrier; and means for alternately supplying said gripper cylinder with sh'eets from said tables.

2. In a printing press the 'combinationof v printing couples each comprising a plate and impression. clinder, one` cylinder of each couple being gapped; an endless carsuccessively between' the printing conples; sheet grippers mounted on the carrier' and adapted to be moved thereby between the printing couples, said grippers o'ccupying tliegap in a cylinder while passin'g between the cylinders; a feed cylinder adapted to deliver sheets to the grippers on the carrier; a pair of feed. tables; a second cylinder adapted to take sheets from one table and deliver them to the first feed cylinder; and a transfer cylinder adapted to take sheets from the second table and deliver them to the second feed cylinderwhich in turn delivers them to the first feed4 cylinder; whereby the sheets are fed in alternation from said tables to the grippers on the carrier. V

3. In a printing press the combination of two printing couples each comprising a plate and impressioncylinder, the plate cylinder of one couple being gapped and theH impression cylinder of the other couple being gapped; a ldelivery table; a carrier guideV above the delivery table; an endless` carrier extending from the carrier guide to and successively between ythe printing couples `and back to the guide; sheet grippers mounted von the carrier and4 adapted yto vbe traversed thereby between the printing couples and to and overthedelivery table, said grippers occupying gaps in the cylinders in` passing between the cylinders in the respective couples; va feed cylinder'adapted to deliver sheets to the grippers on 'the carrier;

' a pair of feed tables; a second feed cylinder adapted to take Sheets from lone table and deliver themto the first feed cylinder; and

a transfercylinder' adapted to` take Sheets from the second table and deliver them to the second feed cylinder, which in turn delivers them to the first feed cylinder, whereby the Sheets are fedjin alternation from saidV tables to the grippers onthe carrier, substantially as described.

4. In a printing press, a prlnting couple including a plate' cylinder and means co- Vbers of the ,printing couple to be impressed V 'air mechanism vpassing aroundvtlie plate cylinder and between it and thel impression member and between the plate cylinder and its inkng mechanism.

6. In a printing press, a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder co-acting therewith for making an impression; and means for inkng said plate cylinder; with an endless carrier having means for taking Sheets, said means passing -in its travel between the plate lcylinder and inkng means and between the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder. v

V7. In a printing press, a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder co-acting'therewith for making animpression; and means for inkng said plate cylinder; with an endless carrier, 'sheet gr'ipping devices attached to said carrier and means for causing 'the carrierto move the sheet gripping devices between lthe plate cylinder and the inkng mechanism'and between the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder.

anism; gripper mechanism for holding a sheet; and a traveling carrier for such gripper mechanism whereby it is caused to carry v the sheet first between one impression cylinder and its plate cylinder to receive an impression on one side, then directly between the impression cylinders so as to reverse the sheet, andl then between the other impresysion cylinder and itsv co-acting plate cylinder to 'receive 'an impression on its other side.

9. In a printing press, the combination oftwovprinting couples each comprising a plate and impressionf cylinder the impression o'lind'ers being arranged close Vto` gether; and a ,delivery table at one side of the printing mechanism; with means for gripping a sheet; land'` an vendless carrier i `having a return bend portion extending above the table, said carrier4 carrying the gripper means and causing it to carry the `sheet successively between the cylinders,fand '125 then to and over the table so as to deposit the sheet thereon from the lower run of the carrier.

10. In a printing press a plate cylinder, an impression cylinder- 'coacting therewth;l

an endless earrie'r extending around onefof the cylinders and between tlie cylinders and having a laterally extending return loop or v bend at one side of the printing mechanism; a delivery table at one side of the cylinders and below the lower run of the `said 'lateral bend of the carrier'and outside the carrier';V and vsheet gripping means on said carrier' whereby sheets may be taken first between the cylinders to be printed thereby and then carried over and delivered to the table.

11. In a printing press; the combination of two printing couples each comprising a plate' andV impression cylinder, the impres-` sioii cylinders being arranged close together; and a delivery table at one side of the printing mechanism; with means for 'i carrying the sheet between one impression cylindei' and its plate cylinder to receive aii impression on one side, then drectly be-V tween the impression cylinders so as to reverse the sheet, then between the other impression cylinder and its co-acting plate cylinder tov receive an impression on its other side; aiid then to and above the table so asjto deposit sheets thereon from the lowerl run of tlie carrier; the carrier means then returning to the starting point.

12. In a printing press, the combinationV of two printing couples eacli comprising a. plate and impression cylinder the impression eylinders being ar 'anged close to-`V receive an impression onits other'side, andtlien -laterally to and above the table so as to deposit the slieets thereon from the lower run 'of the 'carrier, substantially as vdescribed. i

13. In a printing press, the combination. of two printing couples each comprising a plate and impression cyliiider the impression cylinders being arranged close together; a delivery table at one side of the printing mechanism; gripp'er mechanism for holding a slieet; and a traveling carrier v for such gripper mechanism whereby it is caiised to'fcai'ry the sheet first between one.

impression cylinder and its plate cylinder to receive an impression onvone side, then directly between the impression cylinders so as to reverse the sheet, and then between the lotlier impression cylinder and itsfeo-acting'v plate cylinder to reeeive an impression on its `other side; with 'an ofset webfinterposed between'the ltable and the printingfinechanism and adapted to 'prevent offset on'the I second impressioncylinder; siibstantially as described. s v14. In a`V printing press, the combnationfv of'two printing couplesleach'e'omprising a plate and impression `cylinderflthe impressionA 4eylinders being arranged ``close 'together; and a delivery vtable at one Vside'of the printing mechanism; withv nmeans for gripping a sheet; and an endless carrier having a return bend portion extending above the table, saidl carrier carrying the gripper means and causing it to carry the sheet successively 'between the cylinders, and then to and over the table so` as to deposit thesheet thereon'from'the lower run of the carrier;

z witli an ofset web interposed between' the table and the printing mechanism and adapted to prevent ofl'set ,on the second impression cylinder; substantially as described.

15. In a printing press, the combination V of two printing couples eacli-com'prising a plate and impression cylinder the impression cylinders being arranged close together; with gripper mechanism for holding a sheet 'andmeans for traveling sneli gripper mechanism to carry the sheet first between one impression cylinder and its plate cylinder to receive an impression on one side then directly between the impresf sion cylinders so'as to reverse the sheet, and

then between the other impression cylinder and its eo-aeting'plate cylinder to receive an impression on its other side.

16. In a printing press, the eombination of a pair of printing couples comprisingtwo closely adjacent impression cylinders yand means Irespectivelyco-actingwith Vtlie im-` pression eylinders totake impressions; with I ineansfor grippngfa sheet and ineaiis for traveling' the gri'ppermeans soa's tofca'rry the sheet to and around the first impression eylinder to receive an impression on Vone side,

then' carry the sheet' directly between the 'impression' cylinders to reverse the sheet, R andfthencarry the sheet 'around thel second impression eylinder so as to present the reverse side of the sheet to theprin'ting mechanism co-acting with said impression eylinder and perfect the sheet and then deliver.

the sheet, substantially 'as described.

17. In a printing press, the combina'ti'on i of two printing couples each comprising a plate and impression cyl'inder the' impresn sion cylinders being arranged close together and substantially intermediate the plate eylinders; means for grippinga sheet and an endlessV cai'rier on which said gripping means 'is Inounted' whereby the *gripping means is caused 'to pass first around -one plate cylinder, then between oneV impression' cylinder and its co-actingrplate cylinder,

then dire'etly'between the impression eylinders so asto reverse the sheet, and then between the impre'ssion cylinder and the first plate cylinder, substantially as described.

carrier extending successively between the printing couples; sheet grippers on the car-y rier adapted to be moved thereby between the printing couples, said grippers occupying the gap ina cylinder while passing between the cylinders in a couple; alp-air of feed tables; a gripper feed cylinder adapted to deliver sheets to the grippers on the carrier; and means forV alternately supplying said gripper feed cylinder with sheets'from said tables.

19. In a printing press;-the combination of printing couples each eomprising a plate and impression cylinder, the plate cylinder of one couple being gapped and the impression cylinder of the other eouple being gapped; 'a delivery table; a guide above the delivery table and outside the run of'the carrier; an endless carrier extending successively between the printing couples to and over the delivery table; sheet grippers mounted 011 the carrier and adapted to be moved thereby between the printing couples and to and over the delivery table, said grippers occupying gaps in the cylinders in passing between the cylinders in the respective eylinder adapted to deliver sheets toV the 'the printing mechanism; a guide above the couples; a pair of feed tables; a gripper feed grippers on the carrier; and means' for alternately supplying sheets from Vsaid tables to the grippers on the carrier.

20. In a printing press thecombination of two printing couples each comprising a plate and impression cylinder, the plate cylinder of one couple being gapped and the impression cylinder of the other couple being gapped; a delivery table at one side of delivery table; an endless carrier extending from the said guide above the delivery table forward to and successively between the printing couples and then back above the delivery table to the guide; sheet grippers mounted on the carrier and adapted to be moved successively between the printing couples and above the delivery table, said grippers occupying the gaps in the cylinders while passing between Vthe cylinders in the respective couples; and means for feeding sheets to said grippers on'the carrier before 

